The next major stop on the Great Ocean Road was then Adelaide, the last big city for a few thousand miles. Here we had an appointment with Hansi & Margit, which we then wanted to make our trip through the Outback. But let's start the tour from Adelaide was on the program.

On the first day, we are however not really gone to town, but have looked around in the outskirts for new shoes for our Willy. However, no shop 4 equal tires for our size or our rights ... We just wanted to had only one set of so-called "all-terrain tires," so off-road tires that are better suited for our Outbacktour because they are built sturdy and put away the hardships better; ) However, our budget is so limited so we were able to buy only second hand, since new had begun at about $ 200 per piece, and that's too expensive. However, we are determined 6 tires hit stores but none had a complete set of tires: (But at least we got two and two tires, and that's something.

The search for the tires but it has taken a long time consuming and so we drove to a parking lot where we wanted to spend the night. He was also in and of itself quite nice, at least until it got dark, for then, thousands of mosquitoes that have literally eaten us! We have rebuilt the speed of light in our bed and are purely bound. But even in bed there was no better, for while the rebuilding is about 20 mosquitoes got into the car and wanted to go all still be killed:) So the hunt went on and eventually they were all dead, thankfully! Meanwhile, we have seen out there have tried two young men view to stimulating their car, they had, in fact tempered her light, and so their battery was empty. It wanted but everything is working fine not so true, so Timo is then folded again and helped. Since it worked with the pushing then, otherwise we could help with jumper cables on.

The next day we then spent our view the city. Adelaide is the capital as the Australian festival known. There were just 2 big festivals going on, but of which we have not noticed as much because we had other things to do. One morning we spent at the Museum of South Australia "and there we could see a wonderful exhibition on the history and culture of the Aborigines, arms above the water bags, medicine (including drugs: p) and methods for making fire was a lot of them there .

The remaining days we have then often spent more errands to run, we can use in the Outback. And we have, since the meat supply difficulties in the desert and above all, is expensive, Chopped and bought us a couple of glasses of boiled then we may use up little by little;) On Monday, 01.03. we went off in the morning towards Alice Springs. The first target was the Flinders Ranges National Park is the main attraction of the park, the Wilpena Pound, a kind of giant salad bowl in the middle of nature. Since we first arrived in the afternoon it was already too late to even walk on the edge of the bowl. It had been a approximately 4-hour hike, and for that it was simply too late. So we are still gone on to the campsite where we wanted to sleep. The hike we were then made for the next morning. So it went on for about 30 km, most of it on dirt road and through dry river beds;) Only a few days before the track was impassable because it had rained heavily, but we have to a large puddle (see photos) no Water views.

After a quick breakfast, we went back the next morning to Wilpena Pound and we took a hike in the attack. Luckily it was not so hot on that day because the track was really steep and rocky in between. After about 1.5 hour we had reached the top and could see into the bowl;) The view was beautiful, but the right impression of the dish until you get when you make a flight over it. We have not done, however;) There are indeed where is the picture postcards from a plane on it.

After the hike, we still made lunch and discuss further planning. The day's goal was then Leigh Creek, no special place, but the fuel was there relatively cheaply. On the way out there, we still have a deliberate detour on gravel put into buying, but this ended with a flat tire on our car: (After the tire change, we are then only driven a short distance and have spent the night at a rest stop. The last 60km to Leigh Creek, we drove the next morning. We had not had breakfast, because the flies in the parking lot was so annoying, so we stopped in between. Fittingly as in "Breakfast Time Creek" was beautiful and fortunately, no shade water;) The flies were indeed hardly less annoying but we were hungry and then have just had breakfast there.

In Leigh Creek, we were then just fill up and have us worried about the road conditions, because many roads were flooded due to heavy rainfall or blocked due to great harm. Up to Coober Pedy, everything was reasonably passable, and that was erstmal the most important for us. On that day, but we wanted to erstmal to come to William Creek. We have also managed, almost without problems, if we are not yet 30 km before the second tire had burst (which was annoying, because all day they have held out well and no problems, and just before the finish line he lets us down. Luckily we still have a second spare tire, which was then quickly mounted and the remaining distance could be tackled. Amazingly, both of us are always Tire kaputtgegangen at sunset;), so to speak just before closing time "... but what solls. In William Creek, we're yet arrived and there was also a tire repair shop. Imagine, however under no illusion William Creek special because there's actually nothing there except a roadhouse () So rest area, a campground and maybe three other houses. The Roadhouse was something special, because on every wall of hundreds (if not hung thousands) of memorabilia that people have left there. There really was hanging everything from business cards, photographs, student identity, identity cards, an old GDR-licenses plates, hats, to credit cards, postcards, bank notes of various currencies and and and ... there we then have to repair our tires, because the whole without a spare tire, we did not want to move on. Unfortunately we had to also take $ 50 per tire to purchase. But what choice did we have?! We had no great distance before that day, so we were not under time pressure. The repair took about an hour because he twice had to make a tire (the patch has not kept). The time we have driven ourselves to perpetuate ourselves on a wall:) We still had a postcard from Erfurt, the process of the We wrote our names and date on it and stuck with it against the wall. But then we could continue, at least 20 km. Then we made a photo stop and jumped on a scrap car around. Back at the car Timo could hear a hiss at one of the patched tire. Unfortunately, exactly was the one mounted to the car. So it was again: tire change. Luckily we had not gone far and were able to turn around and go back. Once back at the Roadhouse has the head before boarding apology and hardly eingekriegt again. Each of us has to get a drink on the house, then there were still ice and the tires he has, of course, free newly mended. The Australians really nice;) It was just a shame about the time we had to sacrifice this again. But what heck, if we take the tires should have mended elsewhere, it would only cost money again.

In the afternoon we then arrived in Coober Pedy, a city represents itself as the opal capital of the world. And indeed, the main business of the city looking for opals grind and sell. About 40 nations are found in the population of the city and half the people live underground in old mine shafts or specially dug holes home:) The reason for the strong fluctuations in temperature over the year. In winter it can get cold at night up to 0 ° C, where the summer temperatures reach up to 50 ° C. Under the earth, the temperature is not always constant, and make your stay more comfortable. We spent the night at a campsite (but above ground). The next morning we went shopping before leaving and stock up yet and we have been looked at an underground church. The plan was that we drive from Coober Pedy out again away from the paved highway to our beloved dirt roads, but there were too many closed lines and unfortunately we could not, as planned on non-asphalted roads to Alice Springs. So it went from then on the highway next to Alice Springs. We still had about 850 km before us, but there were not particularly see much. The main occupation was only driving. We looked at nor the Henbury meteorite craters and the so-called Rainbow Valley. The meteorite craters are the remains of several explosions, a total of 12, which have a diameter of 7 to 180m and up to 15m deep. The largest of the boulders came from the sky is at least 44kg heavy and is now in a museum in Alice Springs.

The Rainbow Valley got its name from the different colored rocks from which it is formed. Especially in the evening sun light up the rocks in beautiful colors and make the Rainbow Valley so beautiful.

After that we went directly to Alice Springs where we will rest for two days now, before it went on Tuesday towards Western Australia. Before us, then lie 1500km smooth gravel road, which 1200km in one piece! This is certainly a challenge for man and material, but it will come;) We look forward in any event and to seeing how much we can expect oncoming traffic. We are certainly not much:) Especially on the route from west to Ayers Rock to Kalgoorlie.

We certainly are 8 days on the road in no man's land and then have again only connection to civilization. When we have our adventure behind us, there are probably another new blog entry, and many new photos you can look forward to it already:)

So then, until, soon)

Love from Tina & Timo

After we left last Sunday, our orange farm, we are purely driven Monday to Melbourne. We had a huge list of things we had to arrange to make us fit for the Outback. So we drove all day through the outskirts of Melbourne and have finished off all kinds of shops. An appointment at a garage we have made, because we wanted to give Willi for review to be sure that everything is clear and we do not necessarily stay in the outback are. The next available appointment was Thursday, so we had enough time anzugucken us the city.

The errands have taken all day Monday and then we shall be driven only Tuesday morning at the center. Tina was again the "Treasure Treasure" (better version of the TomTom navigation;) and Timo has safely piloted through the city. A bit outside the center then we have found a free parking. He was actually limited to 2h, but we still had even after more than 8 hours not slip off. So super everything;)

We then walked into town, to Queen Victoria Market, one of the largest open air markets in the southern hemisphere. If not THE biggest, because there was seemingly everything. Meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, junk .... everything. One would have to spend much money, but just towards the end, the vegetable traders have their goods at reduced prices dramatically, so we paid for our entire dinner just $ 6. And since even in 3 cups strawberries for dessert, were there;) The market clock 14 closes, so we walked through the city after that, were collected at the post office to Timo's Christmas package, but this is unfortunately still not there and almost certainly never will get: (But this was an important letter for Tina there.

In the evening we went a little to the south of the city went to find a place to sleep. On a large parking lot, we met then another friend from Airlie Beach and spent the night there. In the morning we were then, as always, nice and cold showers on the beach;), but rather cold showers and the public than not! Then we drove back into town and we have not looked at it a few things. But what's really important, there are not to report from Melbourne.

Thursday morning we Willi then taken to the workshop and there were just under 6 hours from the time we had to dawdle. We were kind of homeless, because our house was gone: (we really wanted at McDonalds on the Internet, but the one McDonald's had indeed electricity to run but no Internet, so we had to the next, the Internet was and in return had no electricity ... Tricky thing with the Internet.

Shortly after 1 we are then back to the workshop to see how far they are, then, and fortunately our car was ready. Besides changing the oil and oil filter change, they have done nothing. Nevertheless, $ 240 was gone and we were allowed to go. We drove only about 200m to get to a nearby parking lot where we wanted to make lunch and talked about how it goes. When we get rid of for good 2h wanted our little boy jumped up suddenly no longer an ... Nanuuuuuu, it sounds very ironic. He comes from the workshop and does not jump on ... Anyway, we could find nothing and then left us no other choice than to run and fetch a workshop to help us. Luckily, we went across the street and had hardly cope with 100m walk to .. over a 6-lane road. Anyway, we have been used in the workshop has brought us one of the car and took us with such a mobile Notstarterdings (or simply jump-starting) run to put back the battery was just dead, someone probably had the whole day the ignition is started. In any case, our Willi then ran again and we could take off. So on went the direction of Geelong Great Ocean Road, our next big tourist destination;) And you can say it has not disappointed us. In Torquay, the official start of the Great Ocean Road, we have in the Information Center are still concerned about some information and then set off to look on us, the attractions of the region. The first stop was "Bells Beach", a world-renowned among surfers on the beach every year at Easter, a major event takes place. Then it went along the winding road and just about every vantage point, or any interest we have paused to look at. Not for nothing have arisen while about 700 pictures;) On the first night we put us on a free campsite. We just parked under a tree without knowing that we have a little fluffy neighbors, for a sweet koala hanging over us in the tree and did that what do koalas sleep good 20h a day. ... Changed from time to time the position and then back to the eyes and weitergepennt. They have a really relaxed life! At the campsite there have comfortably made two other koalas, we have later seen.

The next morning, we went further on the road to highlight the Great Ocean Road - the 12 Apostles, and everything around it is still there. The scenery was truly breathtaking and there was really much to see, but it was exactly what made us so tired. Every few hundred yards we again had to stop at the nearest lookout point run. If we are not walking, we walked, and if we are not running, we went. Almost more strenuous than picking oranges, but without pay;) it will be best if you view the pictures, because everything would be too much to describe.

Well then. Our next stop is Alice Springs, Adelaide and beyond.

See you soon and best regards from us both!

Timo & Tina

Halli Hallo to Germany!

The planned 1-2 weeks but are now 3 weeks now. How fast this time always comes around!

We have diligently gathered in the meantime, every day oranges. Just one day we had to pause because of rain and on Sunday was mostly free. At the end we were able to call the bottom line is 97 bins of 450 kg Our own picked:) That's 43 tons! And that can be seen. Our accounts have also been pleased that finally comes to money again.

The first few nights we have ever slept away in a forest on the river not far from the farm. In a few days but the rain was announced, and our farmers have been told that the access road to the river where we were always very soggy when it rains because it is clay soil. We can no longer drive long drive there, because it is like on ice. The mud wraps around the wheels and then it slips just yet. So we would rather not be there in the rain. After two nights in the car, we were a bit too tight and we did not want every morning before going to work, to rebuild our bed. So we decided to set up our tent again. In the tent, it was then also a lot more pleasant, as always a breeze blowing through there. The next evening it was quite windy, but we had set up the tent and wanted to sleep in it. When we were just making the meal, our farmers came by again and wanted to see where we spend the night. He said that he did not have to pick us up the next morning with a tractor when it should begin to rain. Are not we all gone to bed too late. At about half past 12, we were suddenly surrounded the two in bed ... it flashes all around us and our tent threatened to fly away with us that they wish to:-O, the problem that we had was that the so-called forest of gums (gum trees) and this is already yield at lower wind speeds looking for more branches. And so to get a tent is certainly not so nice. We have caught everything important (Diary, flashlight, cell phone)'s and our blanket and have it thrown into the car. But it stormed so strong that the tent was almost blown away. Timo has just managed to hold on to. Tina has a table and chairs, then quickly taken into the car and then Timo helped make the poles of the tent, because we had to carry the tent, otherwise it would have been gone. The dirty tent was now in the car. Everywhere, it flashes, so it was broad daylight, but thank God we were in the car. Now just get away from this forest. We then drove the 2km to the farm, we even had our farmers still let them know that we are no longer on the River. Not that he wants to pick us up the next morning. He was lucky to still awake and took us housed in his garage. He had also offered to us at the very beginning, yes, but we would rather sleep on the River. From that day on, we then lived, as it were in the garage. Well not quite, Willi was always out there and we slept in it in the garage and we had standing table and chairs, had electricity, a toilet and shower in the house, and enough space for us:)

On the day when it rained, we went with our farmers in the town of Robinvale and have done with him a couple of ways. He has presented us with a former tour guide, with which we are then our route once passed. He has given us a few tips on what we have to see and what is found where. After we had talked about 1 ½ hours with him on our tour we drove to our farmers even more and then he invited us for lunch or for dinner.

The rest of the days we spent with pluck pluck pluck. Homemade honey, we have received and with the children of farmers, we were on the plantation from the neighbors and have determined 5kg peaches get just for us! Way too much!

Apart from a few scratches, a thick finger of Tina (which they could not work one day, the finger is now back i. above) and some of Timo Leiterabstürtzen (because he always wanted to be on Far away oranges) is what we very good:)

Yesterday was our last day and today we went right early start heading for Melbourne. There we will spend a few extra days, look at the city and fall back into the travel bug:) Our plan is as follows namely: If we leave Melbourne, it passes over the Great Ocean Road to Adelaide to continue. There we have it checked again Willi completely, so that he is fit for the Outback. Up to Alice Springs and we continue to see us after the "Kings Canyon", the "Uluru" and "The Olgas" at. About the Great Central Road (1,000 km gravel road), we continue to Kalgoorlie. Then back down the coast towards Esperance and from there further to the west, always the coast to Perth.

Around Perth, we want to try again to find work, hopefully the last one;)

So our plans for the next few weeks. So we're not angry if we will get no more time for a few days or maybe weeks, and you can read anything new on our blog. The Outback is always a thing with the Internet. But we will try, of course, and then immediately tell you the most beautiful pictures and exciting stories:)

So press your fingers crossed that we always have enough water and enough diesel fuel and that the car gets no major damage.

See you soon.

Timo & Tina

Hello and good day from approximately 40 ° C warm Australia. Today there are only a small item, but we also want you to bring only fast on the latest happenings and to settle outstanding issues from the last blog entry;)

We now have been three times to hear that you like but also want to know why the green House of Representatives and the Senate is red;) We do not know exactly why we have spared you the answer, but here it comes: the colors are in primarily inspired by the Parliament in London. There, the House of Commons "is also kept green. In Parliament in Canberra is the colors are less intense and therefore should also remember the leaves of the eucalyptus tree. In the Senate, it is quite similar. The House of Lords in London is also red color here, however, also recalls the earth and the colors of the Australian Outback.

Canberra is the capital of Australia because it was futile to make the decision between Melbourne and Sydney. The Sydneysiders saying "our city will be capital", while the Melbourne course, have claimed the same thing. So the government decided to build a new parliament, in a "neutral" city. The Transitional National Assembly, for the period of the new building in Canberra, but was then in Melbourne.

Canberra, incidentally comes from the Aboriginal language and means "meeting place", ie "meeting place" or something like "meeting place".

We both are currently about 550km north of Melbourne in the small town of Robinvale, on the border with New South Wales. There we found after 2 days of intensive search I work at an orange plantation. So now we earn our money as orange pickers;) One has to try out something new indeed:-D

It is very stressful, especially if we exceed the 40 ° C. We will probably work there for 1 to 2 weeks and then either look for something new, or to travel to Melbourne.

On the field, we usually stand by in the morning at 7 until the early or late in the afternoon, unless it is too hot and we listen to more. Our task is to set all the boxes on a trailer from the tractor to be full. In each box to fit around 450kg oranges;) Everyone has to a "kangaroo pouch" on the stomach are related to the one in the tree rumkriecht and then picks the oranges. Once a week, then a truck and picks up all the boxes will be produced from the orange juice. Until now we have filled 13 boxes, so this makes 5850 kg oranges! Loved it? Can ye not one schonmal paat picking tons of oranges? ;)

Well then, press your fingers crossed that our hands are more nimble and we can gather even more so that the money in the cash register ringing.

We will contact you if there is something new!

See you soon,

Timo & Tina

we have reported to us. It really does us harm, but somehow we have always slept through it lately a blog post to write, or do we simply had no proper outlet where we could sit down for a few hours.

But now comes another new entry:)

So, after New Year's Eve, we have until 06.01. in Sydney "usual", we have met with an acquaintance from Townsville and were together in the cinema. Otherwise, we have spent the time to look at us the city a little bit or we just enter "at home, sat down and done nothing. The day before we left then, we have not bought new fixtures for our roof racks, because the old ones were too weak and too low, so it has been cut in some places the paint from the roof. Was it not at easy to find a suitable model. In the store they wanted $ 280 for slack, but have gabs on eBay, the cheaper and therefore we've got slammed. But still we were still $ 200 poorer;)

So we went on 06.01. had set out once again and everything was stowed in the car, and we had in the house rules. Around noon we will then go towards the Blue Mountains, a mountain range (and National) approx 100km west of Sydney. When we arrived, it was a bit later in the afternoon, because we're lost in Sydney and still have longer needed because as expected. To make, nor any hike, it was too late, but we are still on the "Echo Point driven," vantage point and have looked at us from there, the "Three Sisters". These three huge sandstone pillars are the symbol of the park. After that, we are still driving to another vantage point from which you can see from the "Wentworth Falls" can we have there still been a small 400m walk and drove to a parking lot where we stopped overnight.

The next morning, we then bumped into Katha & Max, the two with which we are to Fraser Iceland. They still had Tom here from England, whom she really wanted to bring to Melbourne. Together, we are about 5km long and then a run with many steep steps built track. The weather that day was pretty crazy. It was foggy as sow, you could barely see 30 meters wide. In addition, it was still very cold, moist, about 15 ° C, and, of course. Nevertheless, we ran some of the welding, because the road has Eingeheizt us quite a bit. But nevertheless it was a beautiful hike past waterfalls, through or under it, and the best, about 150m deep along a cliff. Not for people afraid of heights, but was nevertheless a railing there;)

After the hike we were all pretty much done, but also Katha & Max still wanted to see the Three Sisters. So we are together again went out there and run a few hundred meters to one of the sisters. Part of the way to the sisters crossed the sogenannen "Giant Stairway" (giant stair climbing, or so), who looks more like a ladder than a staircase.

Once we were back on the car, we had no desire to really run. We drove just quickly buy something and then spend the nearest rest stop for the night there.

After getting up, having breakfast, so we went to Evans Lookout, where a hike starts through the "Grand Canyon". The description in the national leaders actually did not sound so promising, but what we had then have seen it all really great. A sign at the beginning of the path we have already pointed out that the way is now closed for awhile because he is in such poor condition that renovation works are urgently needed. And so we also noticed at the first few hundred meters, and most of the rest of the way was not really better - it went over stock and stone, a path was often difficult to detect. But there was a lot of fun! Am Anfang ging es wieder unzählige Stufen hinab in die Schlucht, und am Ende natürlich auch wieder hoch ;) Alles zu beschreiben wäre hier wahrscheinlich viel zu viel. Ihr werdet aber vielleicht an den Bildern einen Eindruck davon bekommen wie es dort aussah. Der Weg war ca. 5km lang und man sollte 3 – 4h Zeit einplanen. Wir haben es in knapp 3h geschafft, aber waren auch dementsprechend erschöpft. Nachdem wir uns dann eine Weile ausgeruht haben sind wir weitergefahren, denn wir wollten den Nationalpark an dem Tag noch verlassen.

Über eine schöne Straße mit einigen schönen Blicken übers Land haben wir dann das Gebiet verlassen. Da wir teilweise auf über 1000m Höhe waren, musste es natürlich auch irgendwo wieder runter gehen. Das passierte dann meistens auf ziemlich langen abschüssigen Straßen und das war zu viel für unsere Bremsen. Einmal (zum Glück nur einmal) mussten wir sofort anhalten weil unsere Bremsen plötzlich angefangen haben zu qualmen und kaum noch zu bremsen. Da mussten wir eine halbe Stunde Zwangspause einlegen bis sie sich wieder einigermaßen abgekühlt hatten. Danach ging es nur noch im 2. Gang den Berg runter, schön langsam und gemütlich. Das war schon grenzwertig, denn was wäre wohl passiert wenn wir Willi nicht mehr zum stehen bekommen hätten? Aber zum Glück ging alles gut.

Wir haben uns dann auf einen Rastplatz ca. 200km vor Canberra, der australischen Hauptstadt, niedergelassen. Am nächsten Morgen ging es dann weiter.

Canberra an sich ist eine schöne Stadt, aber im Vergleich zu Sydney recht klein. Etwa 300′000 Leute leben dort. Wir waren an einem Samstag da und die Straßen schienen fast ein bisschen ausgestorben, zumindest wenn man es mit Sydney vergleicht.

Im neuen Parlament haben wir eine Führung mitgemacht und haben uns alles wichtige zeigen und erzählen lassen, wir wissen jetzt warum der Senat rot und das Repräsentantenhaus grün ist, wieso überhaupt Canberra Hauptstadt ist und nicht Sydney oder Melbourne, und das im Parlamentsgebäude 4500 Räume und 2700 Uhren sind ;)

Abends haben wir dann die Stadt wieder verlassen und sind Richtung Victorianische Grenze gefahren. Entlang der Küste sind wir dann immer weiter nach Süden gefahren bis wir in Victoria waren. Übrigens sind wir die ganze Zeit mit Katha & Max zusammen unterwegs gewesen, so lange, bis wir im schönen Städtchen Orbost angekommen sind. Ein ziemlich kleines Dorf mit vielleicht 3000 Einwohnern. Hier mussten wir uns dann von den beiden trennen, denn ihr Auto (Freddy) musste in die Werkstatt. Schon seit einigen Kilometern wollte die Motortemperatur nicht mehr sinken und sie wollten das mal kontrollieren lassen. Das Ende vom Lied war dann eine $600 teure Reparatur der Kühlwasserpumpe. Aber besser als der Motor kaputt. Wir waren inzwischen schon weiter und haben uns seit dem die Gegend angeschaut, waren in einem Nationalpark, nochmal am Meer oder in den mehr oder weniger großen Städten unterwegs.

Zu meinem Geburtstag gab es dann leckeren Buttercreme-Erdbeer-Kuchen zum Kaffee und zum Abendbrot selbst gemachte Hamburger :) Jedes mal wieder ein Genuss. Den Tag hatten wir in einem Nationalpark verbracht und auf dem Weg dort hin sind wir durch ein Gebiet gefahren wo weit und breit nur kahle Bäume standen. Zuerst konnte man nicht sehen warum, aber als sie dann näher kamen sah man, das es hier einfach gebrannt hat und die Baumstämme wie schwarze Zahnstocher kahl und trostlos dastanden. Dort muss ein riesiger Brand gewütet haben, wir wissen nur nicht wann das war, aber es sah so aus als wäre es schon ein bisschen her gewesen, denn es war schon wieder „Gras über die Sache gewachsen“.

Auf diesem Weg möchte ich mich dann noch bei allen bedanken, die mir zum Geburtstag gratuliert haben :) Hab mich sehr über eure Glückwünsche gefreut, auch wenn wir hier so weit weg in der Ferne sitzen. Alle Grüße sind angekommen, alle SMS, eMails oder anderweitige Nachrichten.

In den nächsten Tagen werden wir dann nach Melbourne fahren und hoffentlich endlich mal irgendwo Arbeit finden.

Also dann, bis zum nächsten Eintrag :)

Timo & Tina